Most manufactured items are packaged for shipment to their destination. This packaging may range from simple plastic and cardboard packaging for small consumer items to large wooden crates or containers for larger items. The larger crates can be quite cumbersome and complex in order to properly prevent damage to their contents. Often those crates are subject to mishandling and damage due to the use of equipment to manipulate them. Also, the crates and their contents must often be stacked on top of one another to provide for an efficient shipment.
These problems are particularly prevalent in the shipment of larger items such as snowmobiles, personal water craft or all terrain vehicles “ATVs” as well as other large items. These items tend to be large, bulky and heavy as well as susceptible to damage. The weight alone makes it difficult to stack these items without special precautions. The weight and bulk of these types of items render fiberboard, cardboard or plastic impractical for use in shipment.
Presently, these items are shipped in specially prepared wooden crates. A typical wooden crate consists of a framework of two by fours, cross-bracing timbers, and plywood panel sides. These wooden crates present a multitude of problems. The crates are relatively expensive to manufacture and to assemble. Once the items have been packed within the crates, it is difficult to inspect the items for customs, or for damage. The crates must be disassembled which typically damages the crate.
Wooden crates also are environmentally unsound, both from the viewpoint of the destruction of forest environment to create the raw materials, the disposal of the crates once they are discarded and from their inability to withstand environmental forces. The crates become weakened and damaged from rain, snow, ice and other environmental forces which can lead to damage to their contents. Certain countries, locales and companies will not accept shipments in wooden containers due to problems with insects and disease that may be carried in the wooden containers.
The disposal of the wooden crates is a major factor. The wooden components are normally discarded after use due to the damage suffered during shipment and unpacking. This creates additional cost in disposing of the disassembled components. Even if the components are reusable, the storage of those bulky components is costly.